PMI Missionaries
Paul Billy & Shirley Arnold
Ministry Area: South India
Responsibilities: Church planting
E-mail Address: pbaatpmi@vsnl.com
Project: Bangalore Church Land
Paul Billy graduated from Covenant Seminary in 1993 with an M.Div. and returned to India to pioneer the Reformed church planting ministry in southern India.
God enabled the planting of Bangalore Presbyterian Church in 1994 and Panruti Presbyterian Church in 2003. Teams are being prepared to plant three additional churches by 2008. Paul Billy and his father teach national pastors and evangelists who have no formal theological training.
Reaching out to the children living on the streets of Bangalore led the Arnolds to open a "drop in" facility and a home for the children.
Latest Report: (updated 1/2/2012)
Dear friends,
On December 10th this year I had the privilege of representing our Annugraha Presbytery at the General Assembly of Presbyterian Church in India (Reformed). Allow me to share with you here a small portion of my report to highlight God's grace in our pioneering Presbyterian Church planting work in South India that started in 1994. "Today we have 11 congregations in the state of Tamil Nadu and 23 congregations in Karnataka. Church planters training was held in Maharashtra in the years 2010 and 2011, our presbytery examination committee has just completed their exams and 11 men have been approved in our November 2011 Presbytery and have been since given the charge to plant churches. In all we have 49 Teaching elders, 44 are either planting congregations or leading congregations that have been planted. 3 of our Teaching elders are without a call to congregations and 2 are under presbytery disciplinary action." What a great God we worship and serve. Without a shadow of doubt God has done this and He has in spite of our shortcomings. Praise the Lord! As I look back I can truly say PMI and MTW partnering together in this are fortunate to be placed where God is doing an amazing work and is using us for His glory.
With this amazing growth life has been very hectic, my responsibilities cover pastoral ministry in BPC, mercy ministry and Presbyterian Church Planting Network of India. With our CP training this year being conducted in Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh my travel has been difficult but witnessing our student's enthusiasm to study God's word is encouraging and rewarding and makes the effort so worthwhile. One night after class we were driving back from a village that one of our students was serving in, as we passed a turning in the road inside the forest I was informed that this was Subhan's turning. I probed a little to find out that one of our students in Jharkhand used to be a dacoit before he came to faith and that was where he would waylay and rob travelers. Today he is a fine evangelist and a keen student and tells us he feels called to plant congregations in the surrounding villages where he once robbed. These are the kinds of people God gives us the privilege of training.
This past September I was asked to attend MTW's LEAD in Turkey, besides being blessed by fellowship with brothers from around the world and a visit to Ephesus I was challenged and encouraged by the preaching of God's word. In October Rev. Andrew Siegenthaler an old friend from Covenant seminary visited us to help with seminars in Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh. God willing we will finish these two locations in 2012 April. Our leadership has decided to focus beginning in 2012 work on mentoring our Teaching Elders so that each of us grow in love for God, knowledge of Scripture and increased understanding of our reformed faith and Presbyterian church polity.
One of the great joys I have is to be a part of services when the sacrament is given to those who have first believed and are joining the Church. In November we I was with Pastor Nagarajan who in 2003 was part of the team that planted Panruti Presbyterian Church. For the past year he has been planting a congregation in the outskirts of Madras (Chennai). As I travel to different parts of the country I try to recruit men who have a vision for planting congregations in the city. We are in the process of one being started in the north and will shortly work with a friend in the south. Our goal is to have strategic multiplication congregations in the larger cities of our land.
Our family is doing very well by the grace of God. Our youngest son Joseph is 8 and does well academically. Jesudhas is 14 and is almost as tall as Shirley; he is working very hard on his studies and is doing well in school. Elsie our 11 year old daughter came first in the junior girls 2K road race. Together our children performed the Christmas Calypso on their violins at our church Christmas Banquet this year. Shirley this year took a keen interest in training our children in the road race in November, Elsie's first place and the boys getting points for their team is proof of how effective she was. Shirley continues to host and help with administration. For the last two months my parents have been in Bangalore and have come and stayed with us on and off as I have been taking them for their appointments. Please do pray for them and our ministry to them.
In March 2012 God willing I am planning on traveling to attend the Partnership meeting in Atlanta. I would like to take the opportunity to visit 2 or 3 of our supporting churches by arriving a week early and leaving a week later. I would appreciate hearing from you if you would like to have me visit your church.
Thank you once again for your encouraging letters and emails, prayers and loving support. Many of you have remembered our children's and our birthdays, please know who much we appreciate your love and support. Thank you so much. Our family hopes that Christmas joy through Jesus remains every day.
Praises
- Purchase of land for Jan's children's home and BPC sanctuary.
- God's working in our lives, as a family and as individuals
- Shirley beginning to drive confidently in the city.
Pray along with us for
- Presbytery Youth Retreat January 25th to 27th that many will respond to the gospel.
- Teaching in "The Simeon Trust" Biblical Exposition workshop in Bangalore and Chennai in February 13th to 18th.
- Amalgamation process to be complete for land and plan approval for Jan's Home
For His fame and glory,
Rev. Paul Billy Arnold for The Arnolds (Joseph, Elsie, Jesudhas, Shirley and Paul Billy)
Presbyterian Mission International
12330 Conway Road
St. Louis, Missouri 63141
Telephone: (314) 434-4044
Fax: (314) 434-4819
